St. Paul, MN- On Saturday, June 14th, we lost Melissa and Mark Hortman, along with their golden retriever Gilbert. In the same evening, Senator John Hoffman, his wife Yvette, and daughter Hope were brutally attacked by the same gunman.
The House Legislative People of Color and Indigenous Caucus released the following statement:
“We continue to send our thoughts and prayers to the Hortman family and to the Hoffmans as they navigate their healing journey. We echo the sentiments shared by countless colleagues and community leaders about the extraordinary leader Melissa was. This loss is profound, and her assassination serves as a stark reminder that as legislators of color and with gender-expansive identities, we are constantly targeted and face heightened risks of violence and harm. We remain resilient as we walk similar paths to our ancestors, and while this trauma lingers, we stand grounded in our commitment to bettering our communities and the lives of all Minnesotans, regardless of their background.
“We have been grieving and healing with and in community. In our reflections and conversations, one key common thread emerges: Melissa’s instinctual ability to do what was right—not for glory or recognition, but simply to make people's lives better. Melissa supported our POCI Caucus during its early development, and when she was elected Speaker in 2019, she ensured our members had a seat at the decision-making table, believing in our capacity to lead committees and participate in crucial negotiations.
“She recognized that our communities had been underrepresented and underinvested in for decades, so during the 2023-2024 session, we designed a priorities list that she didn't view as merely ‘POCI priorities’—she saw them as ‘Minnesota priorities.’ We worked hand-in-hand to advance critical legislation that had been stalled by a gridlock government.
“When Minnesotans sent us back into a tied House this biennium, she understood the magnitude of compromise we needed to make. Yet, she never compromised on our shared values and was an instrumental figure in defending our historic legislative achievements. These groundbreaking measures will deliver lasting benefits for generations to come.”
“We will deeply miss her tenacious leadership and wit. We will push forward in defending the hard-fought legislation we secured, prioritizing all Minnesotans, and protecting our neighbors. In Melissa and Mark's memory, we make a sacred commitment: to ensure her light continues to shine through our work, our courage, and our relentless pursuit of the Minnesota she believed we could achieve—a Minnesota for everyone.”
The House POCI Caucus is comprised of; Rep. Cedrick Frazier (Co-Chair) (DFL-New Hope 43A), Rep. Liish Kozlowski (Co-Chair) (DFL-Duluth 08B), Rep. María Isa Pérez-Vega (Vice Chair) (DFL-St. Paul 65B), Rep. Aisha Gomez (DFL-Minneapolis 62A), Rep. Anquam Mahamoud (DFL-Minneapolis 62B), Rep. Athena Hollins (DFL-St. Paul 66B), Rep. Brion Curran (DFL-White Bear Lake 36B), Rep. Esther Agbaje (DFL-Minneapolis 59B), Rep. Ethan Cha (DFL-Woodbury 47B), Rep. Fue Lee (DFL-Minneapolis 59A), Rep. Huldah Hiltsley-(DFL- Osseo 38A), Rep. Jay Xiong (DFL-St. Paul 67B), Rep. Kaohly Vang Her (DFL-St. Paul 64A), Rep. Liz Lee (DFL-St. Paul 67A), Rep. Mary Frances Clardy (DFL-Inver Grove Heights 53A), Rep. Mohamud Noor (DFL-Minneapolis 60B), Rep. Samakab Hussein (DFL-St. Paul 65A), Rep. Samantha Sencer-Mura (DFL-Minneapolis 63A), Rep. Samantha Vang (DFL-Brooklyn Center 38B).
###